Consilium mutat fata
by Liliana-Mae
Summary: What if Will was not a boy, but instead a girl and has a crush on her best friend? Jem and Willow have been friends since they first arrived, both have a crush on the other but afraid to admit their feelings. Along comes a girl from America with a big problem. Will the two friends ever be together or will fate pull them apart as if they were meant?
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

**"Willow! Not so fast**," Jem calls out to his childhood friend. Willow's black hair falls out of her bun as she runs a little further and her icy blue eyes glisten as she giggles.

"Hurry up slowpoke!" Willow giggles and runs faster with the skirt of her dress in her hands. Jem sighs and speeds up to keep the pace. The sweet smell of her hair on the wind brings a smile to his face. Jem runs his hand through his silver hair and he follows Willow's every movement with his piercing silver eyes. The sound of his cane, with a golden dragon's head at the top, sounds off in sync with Willow's high heels. Once at the gates of the institute, Jem leans into the gate, panting and using his cane to stand straight. Willow runs over to him and giggles once more. She sways side to side in the sunlight, her dark purple dress glows a little in the sun.

"Come on, Jemmy, we are going to miss lunch," Willow whimpers with a little pout.

"No, we won't. If I know Charlotte, she is waiting," Jem chuckles, straightening and turning to meet her eyes. Of which is hard for him lately, considering their beauty. Willow rolls her eyes before gathering her skirt again and walks to the door.

"Come on, old man," Willow says with the door open for him. Jem chuckles once more, walks over to her, and kisses her cheek.

"Thank you, Willow," Jem whispers and steps inside. Willow remains still with pink cheeks. She blinks in shock before shaking her head to clear her mind. Jem and Willow walk together in small silence. Jessamine comes down the stairs and joins the awkward silence.

"A little lovers quarrel?" Jessamine asks with a smirk.

"We are not lovers!" Willow snaps and walks faster to the dining hall. Jem sighs as he shakes his head and walks with Jessamine.

"Must you pester her like that?" Jem asks.

"Yes, it makes me feel better knowing that Willow feels flustered around you. I am a bit jealous that you two are so much in love and yet I am all alone," Jessamine says. They walk into the dining hall to see that Charlotte is lecturing Willow and Henry about another one of his experiments at the table.

"I keep telling you two that I do not tolerate any experiments at the table when we are having a meal," Charlotte says. Willow giggles and then sits down in her chair across from Jessamine. Jem sits next to Willow with Henry and Charlotte at the ends of the table.

"So, anything new happening soon?" Henry asks to break the silence.

"Jem and Willow's Parabatai ceremony is almost here. Are you two ready?" Charlotte says before taking a sip of her tea. Willow does not respond and Jem drinks his tea quietly.

"It would seem that the two lovers do not want it anymore," Jessamine says. Willow throws a spoonful of jam across the table at Jessamine.

"Willow Herondale!" Charlotte snaps. Jem smiles when Willow shrugs and continues to eat her lunch. This is one of the reasons Jem has fallen so hard for his childhood friend. She was rebellious when the time is right and is like an angel when she needs to be. Willow stands up when she finishes her plate.

"I will be in my room and would like dessert and tea brought up," Willow says. She leaves quickly with a trail of roses behind her, making Jem's heart flutter again.

"She can be a strange child at times," Charlotte sighs.

"I think she reminds me of you at her age," Henry chuckles.

"Please do not start the loving talk and walk down memory lane. It makes me sick at times," Jessamine says. Jem gets up to excuse himself and goes to find Willow. He finds her in the hallway near her room. She is sitting in the hallway outside her door and she is fast asleep. Jem chuckles as he opens her door before picking her up to carry her to her bed. Willow stirs a little, but remains asleep when Jem lays her on her bed. Jem undoes Willow's messy bun and lets her hair form black waves against the pillow. He softly traces her bottom lip with his thumb and fights the urge to kiss her lips, instead he kisses her forehead.

"Next time listen to me when I say we need to be home for breakfast. No more late night hunts for you and no more all night hunts as well for you," Jem whispers. Willow sighs in her sleep and rolls onto her side, curling up against Jem when he sits on the edge of the bed.

* * *

Willow hides behind the door, as she stands in the hallway and peeks into Jem's room while he plays his violin like he does everyday around three o'clock in the afternoon. Willow watches his fingers move on the instrument smoothly and she smiles as she watches his tall back move slightly when he moves his bow. She lets out a small sigh as she watches and listens when Jem comes to the end of the song. It was a lovely song that seemed to fit how Willow feels about Jem. She can still remember how she felt when she first met him those years ago. Jem starts to clean up and Willow gasps quietly to make sure Jem does not know she is there. Jem smiles and chuckles a little, he knew she was there because he always knows from just the smell of roses. Her scent of the rose garden she cares for is what lets him know she is there and cares to stay and listen to him play. Jem puts his violin away before he keels over, coughing harshly. He grips his chest as he falls to his knees coughing until he has no air left. Slowly, Jem reaches for the powder box that sits on his bedside table and he holds it close to him before taking it.

Willow runs to her rose garden and plops down on the grassy patch she left. She closes her eyes and imagines Jem playing his violin once more. A smile spreads across her face when she imagines him playing for her and then the two of them dancing. Someone clears their throat and Willow jumps to see a smiling Henry standing by the bushes.

"Hello there, little Willow tree," Henry says happily. Willow smiles and pats the grass next to her to have him join her. Henry sits down and lets out a long breathe. "Did you spy on Jem again while he practiced?"

"Yes, I like hearing him play and I am going to miss it when we become adults," Willow says softly. Ever since she arrived to the institute, Henry has looked over her like a father would. It has become habit that she go to him for anything she would go to see her real father about. Henry touches Willow's cheek and smiles widely at her. The smile is returned back to him on her own face.

"Why don't you tell him how you feel about him, little bird?" Henry asks with his little petname for her. Willow looks away and she sighs softly.

"What if he does not return my feelings for him? What if he only sees me as a friend and only wants to be Parabatai?" Willow asks sadly. Henry hugs her close and kisses the top of her head.

"I have a strong feeling that he shares the same feelings as you," Henry whispers. Willow smiles and nuzzles up against him. Someone walks up behind them and they both look to see Jem standing above them with his beautiful smile that makes Willow's heart stop and melt.

"Charlotte wishes to sees us to discuss the ceremony," Jem says. He has a hint of sadness in his eyes when he mentions the ceremony. Willow and Henry get up and follow Jem back inside to the library where a Silent Brother and Charlotte are waiting for them. Jem and Willow stand close to each other as they hear about the procession of what might change part of their lives.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

**Jem is utterly shocked** at the words that Charlotte has said next, and asks to be sure he was not imagining it, "Canceled? Are you sure that's what you said?"

Charlotte nods, a grim look on her face. "Yes, I'm afraid your Parabatai ceremony will have to be postponed for the time being, for a few…more pressing matters have come to our attention."

"A shame indeed, I was ready to cry tears of laugher when Willow stands Jem up at the joining, perhaps another-"

"Enough, Jasmine, else I'll have you confined to your room!" Charlotte orders with a steely tone that sent shivers through Willow as she was turning to snip at Jasmine's comment. Whatever the issue was, clearly it had unnerved the elder nephilim, thus unnerved Willow as well.

"From the seriousness of your tone, I'm guessing you have a task for us then?" Jem guesses, his tone all serious now to match the situation. Inside, he is happy the postponing of the ceremony would give him the pause he requires to finally tell Willow his true feelings and call the whole thing off, but it would have to wait, in this moment, he was a Shadowhunter, period.

"That is correct James, that and Brother Enoch will not be able to perform the Rights at the moment at hand, but enough on that," Charlotte says, taking a quick sip of her tea, then sitting back in her chair. "A series of kidnappings have bin happening all over the city, men and woman, young and old have bin literally taken from their beds and have disappeared without a trace, at first we thought it was the work of the seeile court, but circumstances have lead to that being a dead end."

Willow's mind is going over any possible answers to the task, all the while silently cheering not having to go through the ritual yet. She paced the office for a time, pondering. "Leaving no traces, demons most likely, but what kind? Eidolons? No, there they would linger a bit longer. Changelings? But the seeile are already ruled out… Wait!, I got-."

"A Shax demon?" Jasmine interjects with a smug smile.

Henry chuckles lightly as Willow snips,' I was getting to that!', then said to avoid them tempting Charlotte's temper again, "What brought that Shax demon idea to mind, little bird?"

Willow sighs and turns to her father figure with a forced calm, "A Shax demon would want to kidnap people without causing attention to its self as it makes a nest, my guess is that there's a few of them in the area and there are gathering peoples for that purpose," she explains.

Charlotte nods, taking the idea into consideration, "Well, whatever the case, no one else here is free to investigate the matter, so it falls to the two of you to find and answer," she said though there was a sigh in her tone.

Jem smiles, guessing at her thoughts, "We will report to you the moment we find something out Charlotte," he promises, knowing the women did not want Willow jumping the gun on orders again, though things always got exciting when she did.

His comment puts a weak smile on Charlotte's face, "Thank you, now, no more delay, you must begin your search for answers effective-immediately, dismissed," she says.

Jem gave a bow and Willow did a curtsy as before they left the room. After the door had closed behind them, Willow gave a sigh in relief, then flushed, straitening for as to not look disappointed in front of Jem.

"Well then, guess there's no time to waist, I'll get ready and meet you by the gate in 30 minutes" she says quickly, moving past him to avoid his gaze, so he would not see the red that painted her cheeks. Jem wanted to say something as Willow, his Willow, moved away from him, but the smell of roses holds him in place and the words die in his throat, leaving him only able to nod, and sigh as he goes off to his room to get ready for the task ahead.


	3. Chapter 3

**Authors Note: We do not own the characters, even Willow. All rights go to Cassandra Clare. In this chapter we will be putting in some of her original work without twist. Please do not tell us it is illegal when we already said all rights go to the author.**

* * *

**Chapter Three**

**The demon explodes **in a shower of inchor and guts. Willow jerks back the dagger she was holding, but it was too late. The viscous acid of the demon's blood had already begun to eat away at the shining. Blade. She swears and tosses the weapon aside; it lands in a filthy puddle and commences smoldering like a doused match. The demon itself, of course, has vanished - dispatched back to whatever hellish world it had come from, though not without leaving a mess behind.

"Jem!" Willow calls, turning around. "Where are you? Did you see that? Killed it in one blow! Not bad, eh?"

But there was no sound to Willow's shout; Jem had been standing behind her inthe damp crooked street a few moments before, guarding her back, Willow was positive, but now Willow was alone in the shadows. She frowns at the annoyance - it was much less fun showing off without Jem to show off to. She glances behind her, to where the street narrows into a passage that gave onto the black, heaving water of the Thames in the distance. Through the gap Willow could see the dark outlines of docked ships, a forests of masts like a leafless orchard. No Jem there; perhaps he has gone back to Narrow Street in the search of better illumination. With a shrug Willow heads back the way she had come.

Narrow Street cut across Limehouse, between the docks beside the river and the cramped slums spreading west toward Whitechapel. It was as narrow as its name suggested, line with warehouses and lopsided buildings. At the moment it wasdeserted; even the drunks staggering home from the Grapes up the road had found somewhere to collapse for the night. Looking uo and down the empty street, she scrubbed the sleeve of her coat across her face, trying to rub away the ichor that stung and burned her skin. The cloth came away stained green and black. There was a cut on the back of her hand too, a nasty one. She could use a healing rune. One of Charlotte's , particularly good at drawing _iratzes_. After walking around and walking past a policeman that she felt like messing with his poor little mundane brain. Soon she lifts her chin and lets out a shout: "James Carstairs! Where you, you disloyal bastard?"

This time a faint reply answers her with a hint of annoyance and laughter: "Over here. Follow the witchlight."

Willow moves toward the sound of Jem's voice. It seems to be coming from a dark opening between two warehouses; a faint gleam visible within the shadows, like the darting lightif a will-o'-wisp. "Did you hear me before? That Shax demon thought it could get me with its bloody great oincers, but I cornered it in an alley-"

"Yes, I heard you and I am proud of you," Jem says with a small smile on his lips. He looks paler than when Willow last saw him. There are dark stains across his white shirtfront, and his hands are thickly smeared with red.

Willow tenses and then rushes over to him. "You are bleeding. What happened?"

Jem waves away Willow's concern. "It's not my blood." He turns his head back toward the alley behind him. "It is hers."

Willow glances past her friend, into the thicker shadows of the alley. In the far corner of it was a crumpled shape- only a shadow inthe darkness, but when Willow looks closely, she can make out the shape of a plae hand, and a wisp of fair hair.

"A dead woman?" Willow asks. "A mundane?"

"A girl, really. Not more than fourteen."

At that, Willow curses with a great volume and expression. Jem waits patiently for her to be done.

"If we had only happened along a little earlier," Willow says finally. "That bloody demon -"

"That is the peculiar thing. I don't think this is the demon's work." Jem frowns. "Shax demons are parasites, brood parasites. It would have wanted to dragits victim back to its lair to lay eggs in her skin while she was still alive. But this girl - she was stabbed, repeatedly. And I don't think it was here, either. There simply isn't enough blood in the alley. I think she was attacked elsewhere, and she dragged herself here to die of her injuries."

"But the Shax demon -"

"I'm telling you, I don't think it was the Shax. I think the Shax was pursuing her - hunting her down for something, or someone, else."

"Shaxes have a keen sens of scent," Willow allows. "I've heard of warlocks using them to follow the tracks of the missing. And it did seem to be moving with an odd sort of purpose." She looks past Jem, at the pitiful smallness of the crumpled shape in the alley. "You did not find the weapong, did you?"

"Here." Jem drew something from inside his jacket - a knife, wrapped in a white cloth. "It's a sort of misericord, or hutning dagger. Look how thin the blade is."

Willow takes it. The blade is indeed thin, ending in a handle made of polished bone. The blade and hilt are both stained with dried blood. With a frown she wipes the flat of the knife across the rough fabric of her sleeve, scraping it clean unitl a symbol, burned into the blade, became visible. Two serpents, each biting theother's tail, forming a perfect circle.

"_Ourobos_," Jem says, leaning in close to stare at the kinfe. Willow stiffens a bit at the sudden closeness. "A double one. Now, what do you think it means?"

"The end of the world," Willow tries to say calmly, keeping her eyes on the dagger, a small smile playing about her mouth, "and the beginning."

Jem frowns. "I understand the symbology, Willow. I meant, what do you think its presence on the dagger signifies?"

The wind off the river is ruffling Willow's hair; she brushes it out of her eyes with an impatient gesture and went back to studying the knife. Jem's heart skips a beat again when he smells the rose scent stronger with his closeness to her. He suddenly has the urge to pull her into his arms and holds her there.

"It's an alchemical symbol, not a warlock or Downworlder one. That usually means humans - the foolish mundane sort who think trafficking in magic is the ticket for gaining wealth and fame."

"The sort that usually end up a pile of bloody raggs inside some pentagram." Jem sounds grim.

"The sort who like to lurk about the Downworld parts of our fair city." After wrapping the handkerchief around the blade carefully, Willow slips it into Jem's jacket pocket. "D'you think Charlotte willl let me handle the investigation?"

"Do you thinkyou can betrusted in the Downworld? The gambling halls, the dens of magical vice..."

Willow smiles the way Lucifer might have smiled, moments before he fell from Heaven. She had a few issues in her past with the Downworld and it never did end up well. Usually with Jem finding her beaten and bruised from a fightof some kind. "Would tomorrow be too early to start looking, do you think?"

Jem sighs. "Do what you like, Willow. You always do, but be safe this time."


	4. Chapter 4

**Authors' Note: We do not own the characters, even Willow. All rights go to Cassandra Clare. **

* * *

**Chapter Four**

**The first month** into searching for the girl, was a interesting mix of both frustration, and excitement. During this time, much to Willow's enjoyment, spent most of the time away from the institute, only ever stopping in to report and replace damaged tools. However to her dismay, her alone time with Jem was cut short by Henry joining the the mission. Unfortunately for her and Jem, any information about the places in the Downworld, she herself was familiar with, did very little to give info they wanted. Willow found herself getting exasperated the longer they screeched, but finally after so much effort. They found themselves standing outside the Pandemonium Club, a haven for both vile Downworlders and filthy mundanes alike, a place that hand their hands in gambling, prostitution, and many other things that made Willow's skin crawl as she looked at the main building.

"The smell alone is enough to put a man out on his backside," Henry says, as they approach the doors.

"According to our intel, we will find out more about this dagger and its owners from this place," Jem says weakly before letting out another cough. Willow maintains her ready to go looking expression, so Jem does not see her worrying about him. The trio walks in and splits up as they move through the bar. The plan was to search the rest of the building discreetly, so sneaking past the few patrons that lingered in the main area one at a time was the key. Willow soon finds her way to a door, and with a quick motion of her stele and light steps, she is through and moving down the hallway. As she wanders the halls, she thinks inwardly if Jem and Henry have found their way inside behind her yet. She tries opening door that must have lead to a bedroom, but finds trouble opening it at first, but soon it comes free with a low creek. She takes a step into the shadows of the room, but hears a quick motion.

'Damn!' Willow thinks as she moves with whip like speed, but it was to late, and he outstretched arm to grab her attacker was hit with something hard, yet clearly breakable as it bursts into shards after contact.

"By all the nine hells! Damn it!" she curses as she holds her now bleeding arm as a figure moves past her to the door, trying to force it open again with little success. Willow draws out her witchlight, filling the room with such a strong light that it looks to have nearly blinded the girl….wait, girl? The same girl in question turned back to Willow..and seemed stare at her strangely. She seemed to be mundane, nothing out of the ordinary, curly brown hair, storm gray eyes. She seemed to shake where she stood.

Willow snaps the girl back to reality with her words, "You cut me" she says flatly, raising up her hand to study the wound, finding it slightly amusing that despite her training, a mundane got the drop on her, "It might be fatal."

"Are you the magister?" the girl asks Willow as she continues to speak, tilting her hand to the side as blood ran down it, spattering on the floor.

"Dear me, massive blood lose. Death could be imminent"

"Are the magister?" the girl asks again.

"Magister?" Willow is mildly surprised by her vehemence, "That mean's, 'Master', in latin doesn't it?" she questions the girl.

The young woman seems taken aback by her question ,"I…..I suppose it does" she says finally.

"I've mastered many things in my life. Navigating the streets of London, dancing the quadrille, the Japanese art of flower arranging, lying at charades, concealing a highly intoxicated state, delighting young men with my charms…" Willow says in long tirade, laughing inwardly as the girl stares baffled at her, pausing as she thinks…all but one man…then continuing, "Alas, no one has ever actually referred to me as ' the master' or 'the magister', either. More's the pity"

"Are you highly intoxicated?" The girl says in the middle of Willows speech, seeming the question to be serious.

"How very direct, but I suppose all you Americans are, aren't you?" Willow smirks, amused by her question. "Yes, your accent gives you away. What's your name, then?"

The girl looks at her in disbelief. "What's my name?"

"Don't you know it?"

"You-You've come bursting into my room, scared me nearly to death, and now you demand to know my name? What on Earth's your name? And who are you, anyway?" The girl snaps.

'Demand? Ha!, you're the one that hit me, you toss-pot!' Willow thinks inwardly as her cheerful tone spoke different words, "My name is Herondale, Willow Herondale. Is this really your room? Not very nice is it." She wanders towards the window, examining the stacks of BOOKS on the girls bedside table, and then the bed itself. She waves a hand at the ropes, "do you often sleep tied to the bed?" she asks, instead of outwardly asking if the girl was tortured on a daily basis.

Willow knows this girl is not part of the original mission, but she is in danger, and as a shadowhunter, it is her duty to rescue people. "Hold this." She said, handing the girl her witchlight before stalking back to the window. She looks out, determining the base escape plan for them, but dismays at the height. "Pity we are at the third floor. I could manage the jump, but it would probably kill you. No, we must go through the door and take our chances in the house."

"Go through the-what?" the girl shakes her head in confusion, "I don't understand"  
"How could you not understand?" Willow points at her BOOKS. "You read novels. Obviously, I'm here to rescue you. Don't I look like Sir Galahad?" She raised her arms dramatically. "My strength is as the strength of ten, because my heart is pure-"

Something echoes, far away inside the house- the sound of a door slamming. Willow curses and springs away from the window. She knows that neither Jem nor Henry would make this much noise, so it was time to speed up is operation/rescue mission. She lands with a wince, and glances ruefully at her injured hand. "I'll need to take care of this later. Come along.." She looks pointedly, a question in her eyes.

"Miss Gray" the girl says faintly," Miss Theresa Gray"

"Miss gray" Willow repeated. " Come along then miss gray." She springs past her, moves towards the door, finds the knob, turns it, yanks it - Nothing happens

"It wont work" Miss Gray said, "The door cannot be opened from the inside."

Willow grins ferociously. "Can't it?" She draws out her stele and starts drawing a rune. The thick black lines spirals out from the tip, making an audible hissing as they spread across the wooden surface

"Your drawing?" Miss gray demanded. "I don't really see how that can possibly-" There was a noise like cracking glass. The doorknob, untouched, spins-fast, then faster, and the door springs open, a faint puff of smoke rising from the hinges.

"Now you do" Willow says, and pockets her stele, gesturing for Theresa to follow. "Let's go."

Miss Gray hesitates looking back towards the room. "My books-"

"I'll get you more books," Willow urges her into the corridor ahead of her, finding it a little baffling that Miss Gray would risk her own life over books, but also weighs the idea of her possibly losing her marbles while in that room. Pulling the door shut behind them, and catching the girl's wrist, Willow draws her down the hallway and around the corner, descending the stairs two at a time. Above there was a loud scream.

"They've found you missing," Willow says. They had reached the first landing, and Miss Gray slows her pace, but Willow jerks her ahead, not stopping.

"Aren't we going out the front door?" Theresa demands

"We can't. The building's surrounded. There's a line of carriages pulled up out front. I appear to have arrived at an unexpectedly exciting time."

"Do you know what the Dark Sisters had planned for this evening?"

"No, but you where expecting someone called the Magister?" Willow says as they where now in the cellar. "By the angel, its like the ninth circle of hell down here-"

"The ninth circle of hell is cold," Miss Gray says, like she was programmed to.

Willow stares at her, 'really woman?' "What?"

"In the inferno," she tells her," Hell is cold. Its covered in ice."

Willow stares at her for a long moment, the corners of her mouth twitching, wondering if this girl really was insane and didn't understand the gravity of their predicament. She holds out her hand, "Give me the witchlight."

At her blank expression, she made an impatient noise, "The stone, give me the stone".

Light comes from the stone when it makes contact with Willow's hand. "And as for the temperature of hell, Miss Gray," she says. "Let me give you a piece of advice. The gorgeous young woman who's trying to rescue you from a hideous fate is never wrong. Not even if she said the sky is purple and made of hedgehogs."


	5. Chapter 5

**Authors' Note: We do not own the characters, even Willow. All rights go to Cassandra Clare. **

* * *

**Chapter Five**

**Miss Gray looks **at the woman before her like she is from the insane house. In moments, the door to the cellar opens and Henry comes running in breathing heavily with his hands in the air. Miss Gray looks at the two before her and suddenly thinks she is dreaming everything up. Willow growls as she walks over and grabs Henry by his shoulders.

"Henry, what is the matter right now?" Willow snaps.

"Jem and I have found a way out, but it took forever to find you, little bird," Henry says with a deep breathe.

"Lead the way," Willow says, while spinning him and pushing him towards the door. She turns and grabs Miss Gray's hand to have her follow them. Henry sets a quick pace as they run down the hallway. A loud shriek comes further down the hallway and they all turn to see one of the dark Sisters looking at them fiercely.

"Miss gray, it seems I have found you. Come we must take you to your room to prepare," Mrs. Dark says. Miss Gray flinches and hides behind Willow quickly. Willow pulls out her seraph blade quickly.

"Henry, take Miss gray and run," Willow says. Henry grabs Miss Gray and pulls her down the hallway.

"Puny Nephilim, you cannot take me on all on your own, you are just a child," Mrs. Dark says. Willow smiles and raises her blade a little higher.

"Not my weapon of choice, but do not underestimate me," Willow says. Mrs. Dark growls and charges at her. Willow shifts her foot slightly and charges at the ugly woman. The two collide for a moment and then each of them are pushed back. Willow tumbles back down the hallway while Mrs. Dark simply glides backwards. Willow rushes to her feet and holds her sword up again.

"You are never going to win, little girl," Mrs. Dark says, as her finer nails become claws suddenly. Willow takes a small breathe and waits for her moment to move. Mrs. Dark smirks as she charges again, but this time uses her magic to back her up. Willow feels a chill run down her spine suddenly just moments before someone jumps in front of her. It is Miss Gray with a candlestick in her hand.

"You idiot!" Willow snaps and pushes Miss Gray out of the way, just in time to swing her sword and cut Mrs. Dark when she became vulnerable at the sight of Miss Gray coming willingly. Willow and Miss Gray fall to the floor, as Mrs. Dark screeches and begins to die. Willow growls as she hauls Miss Gray to her feet to be at eye level. "Have you lost your bloody mind in doing what you just did?!"

"I thought you needed help!" Miss Gray protests. Willow roars and pushes Miss Gray back. Mrs. Dark lets out a final roar and Willow swings her sword at her to cut her head off.

"Shut up, evil hag!" Willow snaps. The house shakes a little and Miss Gray pales. "Come on, we have to get out of here before it is too late. The sun should be up soon."

Willow grabs Miss Gray's wrist and pulls her down the hallway. They make it to an opening in one of the walls and there is smoke, as if it was just recently blown to smithereens. Someone grabs Miss Gray from behind and she screams while pulling to bite the attacker. Henry lets out a shout and he falls to the floor, holding his now injured hand. Willow spins at the shouts and then twitches when she sees Henry cradling his hand.

"She bit me, Willow," Henry pouts.

"Then next time do not sneak up on her," Willow says. Henry gets to his feet and inspects his hand more. "Where is Jem?"

"He is waiting across the street for us to make a quick get away," Henry says with a smile.

"Well, come on then," Willow says. Henry picks up Miss Gray and carries her while she protests at being picked up. It is then that she realises that she is tired from all the running. They arrive across the street and head to a strange carriage waiting for them. Miss Gray is put down and they walk casually to the carriage.

"Took you two long enough. Who is this you have with you?" Jem asks.

"This is Miss Theresa Gray, we are taking her with us," Willow says with her chin held high and a big smile on her face. Jem smiles and ruffles her hair before walking over to address Miss Gray.

"A pleasure to meet you, Miss Gray," Jem says with a small bow. Miss Gray blushes and blinks in surprise. Willow begins to steams at the way Miss Gray is looking at Jem. Henry puts his hand on her shoulder to keep her a little bit calm.

"Can we please go home now? I am tired and need some food," Willow growls. Jem turns around and motions for them to get into the carriage. Willow is still steaming as Henry gets into the driver's seat to take them all back to the institute.

* * *

Willow sits with Charlotte after a quick debriefing of the mission in itself. Miss Gray is asleep in one of the guest rooms after passing out once they arrived. Jem is off doing something, leaving Willow to the wrath of Charlotte on her own. Charlotte rubs her temples as she processes what was just said. Willow fidgets in her chair and she fiddles with her dress a little.

"Alright, I will let the Enclave know what has happened. You did well in bringing Miss Gray here, but I am not too proud in how you found nothing for the investigation," Charlotte says calmly. Willow stands and looks at Charlotte calmly.

"She may be a piece in the investigation," Willow says, before turning to leave quickly. She makes out the door and sighs once the door to the library is closed. Jessamine comes from her hiding spot and scares Willow to death.

"So, did you get in trouble again?" Jessamine asks. Willow glares at her and takes this chance to walk away. "I suggest you tell him your feelings before someone like Miss Gray comes and takes him from you."

"Shut up, Jessamine!" Willow snaps and jumps at the girl. The two of them have a catfight just before Jem comes and separates them. Willow turns a bright red when she sees him holding her close to him.

"Jessamine, you must excuse Willow for that. She is a bit tired and needs to get some rest," Jem says politely. He leads Willow away to her room and they walk in silence.

"I was able to defend myself," Willow grumbles as they get closer to her room. Jem smiles and holds her closer to him to smell the rose scent again. Willow's face becomes much more red with being this close to him.

"Willow, you know Charlotte dislikes you fighting with Jessamine. I just got there before she could," Jem says. They stop in front of Willow's door and she steps away to look him in the eyes. Her knees become weak the moment her eyes meet his.

"Jem, you have to stop coming to my rescue when I don't need you. I can take care of myself-" Willow starts to lecture, but is stopped when Jem pulls her close and kisses her softly. Willow stiffens for a moment, but soon relaxes in his arms. They continue to kiss for what feels like eons before stepping back. Both are breathless and their faces are red. Without uttering a word to one another, they scurry to their rooms. Henry, watching from down the hallway and around the corner, smiles as he turns and heads back to his lab.

"And now, the tables are turned for the two lovers," Henry murmurs happily.


End file.
